made. “It’s better this way, we think.”
“I think it’s better for Ben, too; I won’t tell him.”
Stone looked up to see Herbie Fisher enter the restaurant in the company of a petite, dark-haired beauty. Herbie brought her to the table. “Good evening, Stone, Dino. I’d like you to meet Gina Carlo.”
Stone and Dino stood and shook hands. “And, Herbie,” Stone said, “you haven’t met my friend Arrington. Arrington, this is my client Herbert Fisher.”
“I’ve heard good things about you,” Herbie said. “Mostly from Joan, Stone’s secretary.”
“I’m glad she has a good opinion of me,” Arrington replied, smiling.
Herbie excused himself, and they were shown to a table at the rear of the restaurant. A moment later, two large men came in and were given a table in Siberia, where the tourists were sent. Then, after another moment, two other large men came in and took seats at their table. Some hard looks were exchanged, and one of the second pair spoke, uninterrupted, for about a minute. The first two men looked at each other, shrugged, and then left the restaurant.
“What was that all about?” Dino asked.
“Herbie,” Stone said, “for reasons too complicated to go into, is now in the care of Strategic Services. The young woman, Gina Carlo, is one of Mike Freeman’s operatives, as are the second pair of men who followed them in. The first two men have been causing Herbie some concern, and, after having been spoken to, they have obviously decided that discretion is the better part of valor.”
“Okay,” Dino said.
“Whatever you say,” Arrington said.
They ordered drinks and looked at the menu.
“Funny thing,” Dino said, “after a trip to Film Forum with Peter, Ben has suddenly acquired an interest in old movies. He can’t stop talking about them.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Stone said. “Peter is obsessed, and it’s good for him to have a friend who shares his excitement.”
“That’s probably what they’re talking about now,” Arrington said.
Dino glanced at the two boys. “I certainly hope so,” he said. “I wouldn’t want Ben to lead Peter astray.”
“Astray how?” Arrington asked.
Dino looked uncomfortable. “Ben has a tendency, when he comes home from school, to be interested in things beyond his years.”
“Like what?” Stone asked.
“Like downtown clubs,” Dino explained. “Once a cop brought him home, after some sort of ruckus in SoHo.”
“Dino,” Arrington said, “you’re not raising some sort of juvenile delinquent, are you?”
“First of all, I’m not raising him; he’s at that school in Connecticut, and his mother and grandfather have a lot more to say about his upbringing than I do. Second, he’s not a juvenile delinquent; he just wants to be twenty-five, at a time when most kids are looking forward to nineteen. For what it’s worth, I think Peter just might be a steadying hand.”
“What’s Ben doing about college?” Arrington asked.
“He’s got an early acceptance from Columbia,” Dino replied, “with the help of his grandfather, who is a major contributor. Of course, he’s always made good grades, with little apparent effort, so he’s not exactly being foisted on the school.”
“That’s wonderful!” Arrington enthused. “An Ivy Leaguer in the family!”
“How about that?” Dino said.
Later, when they had all dined and were leaving, Stone noted that Herbie and Gina were deep in conversation at their table. He had a feeling they weren’t discussing personal security.
The two bodyguards looked sleepy.
They arrived home and good nights were said. Back in the master suite, Arrington got into bed next to Stone. “Have you noticed,” she said, “that Peter’s clothes have gotten a little too snug?”
“Yes, I have,” Stone said. “I’ll deal with that tomorrow.”
“Thank you,” she sighed. “He hates it when I buy clothes for him.”
The following morning Stone took
“I think it’s better for Ben, too; I won’t tell him.”
Stone looked up to see Herbie Fisher enter the restaurant in the company of a petite, dark-haired beauty. Herbie brought her to the table. “Good evening, Stone, Dino. I’d like you to meet Gina Carlo.”
Stone and Dino stood and shook hands. “And, Herbie,” Stone said, “you haven’t met my friend Arrington. Arrington, this is my client Herbert Fisher.”
“I’ve heard good things about you,” Herbie said. “Mostly from Joan, Stone’s secretary.”
“I’m glad she has a good opinion of me,” Arrington replied, smiling.
Herbie excused himself, and they were shown to a table at the rear of the restaurant. A moment later, two large men came in and were given a table in Siberia, where the tourists were sent. Then, after another moment, two other large men came in and took seats at their table. Some hard looks were exchanged, and one of the second pair spoke, uninterrupted, for about a minute. The first two men looked at each other, shrugged, and then left the restaurant.
“What was that all about?” Dino asked.
“Herbie,” Stone said, “for reasons too complicated to go into, is now in the care of Strategic Services. The young woman, Gina Carlo, is one of Mike Freeman’s operatives, as are the second pair of men who followed them in. The first two men have been causing Herbie some concern, and, after having been spoken to, they have obviously decided that discretion is the better part of valor.”
“Okay,” Dino said.
“Whatever you say,” Arrington said.
They ordered drinks and looked at the menu.
“Funny thing,” Dino said, “after a trip to Film Forum with Peter, Ben has suddenly acquired an interest in old movies. He can’t stop talking about them.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Stone said. “Peter is obsessed, and it’s good for him to have a friend who shares his excitement.”
“That’s probably what they’re talking about now,” Arrington said.
Dino glanced at the two boys. “I certainly hope so,” he said. “I wouldn’t want Ben to lead Peter astray.”
“Astray how?” Arrington asked.
Dino looked uncomfortable. “Ben has a tendency, when he comes home from school, to be interested in things beyond his years.”
“Like what?” Stone asked.
“Like downtown clubs,” Dino explained. “Once a cop brought him home, after some sort of ruckus in SoHo.”
“Dino,” Arrington said, “you’re not raising some sort of juvenile delinquent, are you?”
“First of all, I’m not raising him; he’s at that school in Connecticut, and his mother and grandfather have a lot more to say about his upbringing than I do. Second, he’s not a juvenile delinquent; he just wants to be twenty-five, at a time when most kids are looking forward to nineteen. For what it’s worth, I think Peter just might be a steadying hand.”
“What’s Ben doing about college?” Arrington asked.
“He’s got an early acceptance from Columbia,” Dino replied, “with the help of his grandfather, who is a major contributor. Of course, he’s always made good grades, with little apparent effort, so he’s not exactly being foisted on the school.”
“That’s wonderful!” Arrington enthused. “An Ivy Leaguer in the family!”
“How about that?” Dino said.
Later, when they had all dined and were leaving, Stone noted that Herbie and Gina were deep in conversation at their table. He had a feeling they weren’t discussing personal security.
The two bodyguards looked sleepy.
They arrived home and good nights were said. Back in the master suite, Arrington got into bed next to Stone. “Have you noticed,” she said, “that Peter’s clothes have gotten a little too snug?”
“Yes, I have,” Stone said. “I’ll deal with that tomorrow.”
“Thank you,” she sighed. “He hates it when I buy clothes for him.”
The following morning Stone took
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